City of Basketball Love

By CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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The 2024 edition of the CoBL Girls’ Fall Classic brought more than 50 high school teams to the courts at Spring-Ford this weekend for our biggest preseason girls’ event yet. 

Here’s who stood out to the CoBL staff in games we watched Sunday:

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Kayden Baratta (2026 | Phoenixville)
Phoenixville’s high-scoring junior guard showed her stuff in both games the Phantoms played on Sunday, putting up points inside and out. Her most notable asset is her 3-point shot, which she didn’t hesitate to fire away, the ball sometimes only barely seeming to touch her fingertips on a pass before it would leave them in a high arc, quite a few of which found nothing but net, even from well beyond the arc. Baratta also showed she can finish around the hoop on the move with both hands, absorbing contact well on multiple occasions as she showed a willingness to go to her off hand on the break.

Molly Beggs (2028 | Germantown Academy)
The freshman was impressive, nailing a few corner three-pointers and helping to pickpocket a few players driving to the lane in Germantown Academy’s 41-34 win over Downingtown East. The 5-foot-4 freshman point guard seemed to have a nice chemistry with the Patriots’ other young guard, eighth grader Azzure O’Connor. For spells against East, the two were a dynamic duo, either causing chaos with their constant hustle and pressure on the defensive end, or with Beggs’ accuracy from distance on the offensive side. She played with high energy and was all over the court.

Colleen Besachio (2026 | Archbishop Wood)
Aside from the knee brace, it was hard to tell this was Besachio’s first time back on the court for a game with the Vikings. The 6-foot forward looked like herself, draining plenty of threes, scoring inside and taking the ball to the rim. Besachio started a little slow in her first game but once the shots started falling, the versatile junior stayed in a good rhythm. Perhaps just as encouraging was every time she hit the floor, she popped right back up with no hesitation.

Ryan Carter (2027 | Archbishop Wood)
Carter’s first few outings in black and gold have looked quite good. The standout sophomore adds a burst of speed and athleticism to Wood’s lineup and Carter already looks to have solid continuity with her teammates. Wood looked to push the ball when Carter was on the floor, the sophomore both on the giving and receiving end of some nice full-court looks. The more they play together, the more Carter will mesh with her teammates and her ability to shoot the ball and slice to the rim should open up others as well.

Tamia Clark (2027 | Upper Dublin)
Tilting the defense off of the bounce, Clark was the engine behind UD’s attack in their win over Shipley. She relentlessly got to the paint on fastbreaks and in the halfcourt for floaters and touch shots. A two-way guard, Clark generated many of those opportunities with her rebounding and defense. Her focus on that end produced turnovers and energized her team when they got the ball back. Just 5-8, Clark gritted her way to 18 points, in addition to leading the Cards with 6 rebounds and 4 steals. 

Emilia Coleman (2026 | Upper Dublin)
When the Cardinals soared past Shipley, Coleman lit up the scoreboard with her shooting from deep. After getting in the groove with a post move for a layup, she launched an aerial assault that consisted of five threes off the catch. Whether she was spotting up or shooting off of movement, the results were the same. That opened up lanes for her to get back into the paint. Coleman put up a game-high of 23 points with 3 boards and a steal. 

Imani Dennis (2025 | Bishop Eustace, N.J.)
With the Crusaders evenly spreading the ball around versus Conwell-Egan, Dennis led the team with a humble 11 points. But her greatest impact was at the defensive point of attack. A cunning on-ball defender, she didn't have to gamble or take risks. Dennis simply used her nimble feet to cut players off. Even when it seemed like she was best, the unsigned senior would flip her hips to recover, all the while shooting her hands to poke the ball free for a total of 5 steals. 

Kendall Chiavelli (2027 | Downingtown East)
The 5-foot-9 sophomore combo guard developed into one of the Cougars’ go-to players as a freshman last year and has followed that up by improving her skills. She is more confident driving through contact and in becoming a better defensive player. In the Cougars’ 41-34 loss to Germantown Academy, Chiavelli looked like the best player on the court at times. She had a steal-and-score, and in one sequence, turned the ball over, then hustled back down the court to steal the ball back. She plays with a maturity beyond her years. She possesses strong court awareness, which continues to improve, and has good range on her shot.

Grace Galbavy (2025 | Perk Valley)
Galbavy often makes offense look easy but the senior is increasingly starting to so the same on defense too. In PV’s second game Sunday, the rangy forward took on the task of defending Audenried’s Shayla Smith and forced the Penn State recruit into plenty of tough shots. Galbavy’s timing on blocks continues to get sharper and she jumped the route on a couple passes to create turnovers. Offensively, the Wake Forest commit had things going while blending in with a couple well-balanced PV efforts.

Kirsten Gibson (2027 | Cherry Hill West)
The 5-foot-7 sophomore guard was tough to miss in Cherry Hill West’s 36-30 loss to York Suburban. She drove the lane well, had a great handle, and was able to weave through defenders while maintaining her speed and dribble. She showed she could create her own shot, too. When two York defenders converged on her, she faked one way, drawing them right, and she went left for a layup. She changed direction very well and showed she could score without the ball, when a teammate fed her for a reverse layup. Her superior athleticism and solid skills make her dangerous. 

Grace Hodges (2026 | Downingtown East)
The 5-foot-6 junior guard is the heart and soul of the Cougars and it showed in their 38-31 loss to Bethlehem Catholic. Hodges had strong takes to the basket, defended well and made smart decisions with the ball. She showed keen court awareness, doing many of the little things coaches love, like sliding across the lane to take a charge, when seemingly out of position to make a play, or provide help defense. Offensively, she seems to know when to pick and choose driving to the basket. There was one sequence against Bethlehem Catholic when Hodges’ teammate Kendall Chiavelli drove the lane and kicked out to Hodges, who nailed a three.

Ryann Jennings (2026 | Conestoga)
Jennings’ offensive package is so solid across the board, it just seems like the guard gets more and more confident every time out. Despite the shorthanded Pioneers losing to Upper Dublin in their first game, Jennings looked decisive with every touch on offense. She knocked down several threes, dropped in some runners and twisted in for a few layups in a productive outing. The junior also used teammates’ screens really well to get the space to set up her next move.

El-Anita Joe-Samuel (2027 | Lenape, N.J.)
Lenape looked great in two wins to cap off Sunday’s action, with Joe-Samuel leading the way in both. The athletic 6-0 wing guard was constantly playing downhill, using her size and athleticism to get past defenders in a variety of ways, and she’s got the touch and natural feel to score in a variety of ways around the bucket, while also knocking down multiple outside shots when left open. Joe-Samuel, who plays with the Jersey Gemz on the EYBL circuit, already is picking up Division I offers, and certainly looked the part this weekend. 

Emily Knouse (2025 | Archbishop Wood)
Wood’s lone senior looks very ready for her last high school season. The St. Joe’s recruit really rounded out her offensive game over the last year and Knouse was doing plenty of the same things she did in states while draining threes, dropping into the post and firing outlet passes off a rebound. Knouse is in her second year as a team captain and will play a prominent role in the Vikings’ quest for another championship postseason.

Azzure O’Connor (2029 | Germantown Academy)
Although the 5-foot-6 guard is an eighth grader, she could have fooled anyone watching her play against Downingtown East in GA’s 41-34 victory on Sunday. She was easily the fastest player on the court and she knew how to use her speed. She showed good range nailing a couple of 3-pointers, drawing the Cougars’ defenders to her when she had the ball beyond the arc. As a defender, she was spunky, one time knocking the ball away from behind an East player for a turnover. Something of note: When she missed a give-me layup later in the game, she did not put her head down and sulk. She rushed to the other end of the court to deflect a pass that caused an East turnover. A few college coaches certainly took notice and nodded their heads.

Jo Owens (2027 | Germantown Academy)
The 6-foot-1 sophomore showed off her athleticism inside, altering any Downingtown East player driving the lane in Germantown Academy’s 41-34 win over East. Owens blocked more than a few shots and controlled the defensive boards. She served as a constant inside presence and her length screams “beware of blocked shots.” She possessed quick feet and was able to cross the lane a number of times as a rim protector on help defense.

Sophia Redman (2025 | York Suburban)
None of her stats would have shown up on the scorer’s sheet, but the 5-foot-10 senior seemed to grab every offensive and defensive rebound within her grasp in York Suburban’s 36-30 victory over Cherry Hill West. She displayed good footwork, a willingness to do the selfless inside work of rebounding and interior defense and even spotted a few breaking teammates to the basket.

Alexis Reimold (2026 | Hazleton Area)
A young Hazleton squad which featured a number of sophomores was a bit of pick-your-poison in two games on Sunday, but Reimold was consistent in both. The smooth 5-9 guard easily attacked the bucket with both hands, with no hesitation to go to her left (off) hand, and she finished through contact for a 3-point play that way. Speaking of getting to the line, that was some Reimold did especially well in a win over Downingtown West, going perfect from the foul stripe as she finished with an efficient 14-point game, and her defensive pressure resulted in a few steals for her and a couple for her teammates. 

Lilly Soller (2025 | Hill School)
When the Rams took on Methacton, they leaned on Soller and her inside-out game. A recent commit to Christopher Newport University, she got her team going with a catch-and-shoot three. Next, they played through Soller inside the arc, allowing her to catch-and-face to distribute or get to the cup with one or two dribbles. From there, she alternated between baskets in the paint and more threes, while still anchoring the defense. Soller paced the Rams with an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double, plus a block and a steal.

Bella Super (2026 | Governor Mifflin)
The 5-foot-9 junior guard showed she could spot up or drive the lane in Governor Mifflin’s 34-27 win over Harriton on Sunday. She showed sound court vision, always looking up to spot mismatches, finding taller teammates defended by smaller opponents inside more than a few times. She was easily the best player on the court. Her three-pointers displayed her range, and her ability to change hands while driving to the basket made her that much more difficult to defend. She is the type of player where you have to know where she is on the court. Her only flaw may be that she is generously listed at 5-9. She may be closer to 5-7. It does not diminish her superior skills and speed with the ball.

Melody Vaughn (2029 | Shipley School)
Shipley’s got a whole bunch of impressive young talent, none as young or impressive as Vaughn. The eighth grader — who’s able to play varsity this season by PAISAA rules — is a lanky, athletic 5-10 guard with a whole lotta upside, playing her summer ball with Exodus NYC on the EYBL circuit. Vaughn already has a quality handle and basketball IQ, able to make plays with the ball in her hands, and she can score by attacking the rim, pulling up and knocking down jumpers or on catch-and-shoot situations. Definitely a name to know moving forward in the area, and beyond.

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Honorable Mention
Abigail Arnold (2025 | Methacton), Bailey Balkir (2026 | Gwynedd Mercy Academy), Sophia Benyo (2027 | Hazleton Area), Charlie Campbell (2028 | Phoenixville), Ellie Dexter (2026 | Downingtown West), Kayla Epps (2028 | Bonner-Prendergast), Sammie Faela (2026 | Hill School), Alexa Henry (2025 | Lenape, N.J.), Taylor Linton (2028 | Germantown Friends), Mariah Marolo (2027 | Hazleton Area), Samirah Mamoudou (2026 | Central Dauphin East), Lily Milewski (2025 | Conwell-Egan), Lexi Ngo (2028 | Upper Dublin), Julia Purvy (2027 | Souderton), Skylar Rothley (2028 | Bonner-Prendergast), Sami Schurtz (2025 | Downingtown West), Shayla Smith (2025 | Audenried Charter), Emma Yogis (2027 | Archbishop Wood), Maddie Yurick (2028 | Hill School)